Service changes 28th April 2019

[2206]

Well NX's Facebook page has denied that withdrawal of the 952 is happening, despite someone screenshotting the registration.

"National Express West Midlands Sorry for the delay in reply Chris - We will announce any changes on our website.
11h

National Express West Midlands There is no confirmation of any changes at this time."

Presumably whoever responds to these comments isn't told about the changes until they are publically announced as well.
It doesn't really sound as though they are denying it to me and are just saying they've yet to publically announce anything.

[BH2004]

When will the updates be on the nxwm website

[B.C Driver]

It's still having a direct service to Birmingham.

Having been a driver on the 952 for the past 4 weeks, I can say first hand, it hardly picks anyone up. The company has target figures for passenger numbers and the 952 is nowhere near its. The 9:30 rush isn't even that bad on the 952. You pick a few up on Walsall Road but even then, they have the 51 or at Perry Avenue and Beeches Road the X51.  If Perry Beeches was as busy as you attempt  to make it out to be NX wouldnt need to try and keep the service alive. They've tried that many  different variations and still see the same results. Writing is on the wall.

Thankyou.

I've seen it go from 52 to 952, back to 52 and back again to 952. Enough is enough.
It benefits the few (Perry Beeches), while the many (Perry Barr, Birchfield, Six Ways) have had no improvements to their 33 and 51.
As Dom mentioned, the X51 is nearby.

[CL]

In regards to this supposed extension to the 46: I know it's not been confirmed whether that's the case, but I have some reservations about this which I feel are worth sharing.

1. City Centre
I've suggested this in the dedicated suggestions thread, not too long ago - but definitely before talks of an extended 46 arose. My proposal was to remove the 7 & 46 away from Livery Street - and have them use the stops on Colmore Circus (Steelhouse Lane), instead. From my signature, you'll be able to see that the 101 is, indeed, one of my local routes - so excuse the bias.  ;)

This suggestion came to mind after the 101 was reverted back to the overcrowded street that is Livery Street; in favour of the 23/24 returning to their once original stop at Colmore Row. Rush hour is nothing short of a nightmare, with three busloads of passengers unevenly distributed along the narrow pavement. It boggles my mind why the 7 & 101, arguably the most passenger-demanding services of the three, would be located at the same stop?

I sense myself going off on a tangent, so I'll stop myself here and hope you get the picture.

I bring this up now as, to me, an extension of a route (the 46) - brought about by the loss of another (the 952) - is sure to increase passenger use on the substituted service, in theory. ??? Having said that, I see more validity in my proposed solution to ease overcrowding on Livery Street.

2. Route Numbering
Keeping this short: does it not strike anyone that the PB46 would be hypothetically operating in a closer vicinity to WB46? Of course, the routes won't clash - just as it is currently - but would it be worth it to number the extended 46 as the 46A? (Or dare I say 46P, lol) - so as not to confuse the locals? Apologies if that sounds demeaning in a sense, but even once - while travelling into Brum on a 51 - I was confused by the sight of an Omnilink in Great Barr displaying 46 on it's rear - before realising it was the WB counterpart. Just food for thought.

Overall, I know this 46 extension is all talk (for the timebeing) - but this is just me throwing in my twopence.

[Sh4318]

If it's commercially viable the 952 would not be in the firing line, use it or lose it.

To be fair to NX, it seems like they tried their best to keep it going, with the re-introduction of the 52/A and the frequency increase. Some parts of the route are a short walk to the 51/X51 or 997, but there will be losers with this withdrawal, as with every route

[Jack]

In regards to this supposed extension to the 46: I know it's not been confirmed whether that's the case, but I have some reservations about this which I feel are worth sharing.

2. Route Numbering
Keeping this short: does it not strike anyone that the PB46 would be hypothetically operating in a closer vicinity to WB46? Of course, the routes won't clash - just as it is currently - but would it be worth it to number the extended 46 as the 46A? (Or dare I say 46P, lol) - so as not to confuse the locals? Apologies if that sounds demeaning in a sense, but even once - while travelling into Brum on a 51 - I was confused by the sight of an Omnilink in Great Barr displaying 46 on it's rear - before realising it was the WB counterpart. Just food for thought.

Overall, I know this 46 extension is all talk (for the timebeing) - but this is just me throwing in my twopence.

I agree the two 46's will be stopping up the road from each other!
I could see NX leaving this secret and don't make the announcements public until a few weeks before the actual changes like the South Birmingham ones.

[ARBB]

New routes 14, 17A, 24, 288A/C will be operated by Pensnett from Sunday 21st April
Service 5 extended to Stourbridge via the existing Diamond 267 route to Stourbridge via Ashwood Park and Wordsley.

Service 14A to replace Diamond service 208 and will run hourly between Dudley and Merry Hill.

Service 17A to replace existing Diamond service 657 and from Kingswinford to Wall Heath. Will be interworked with service 5.

Service 24 Route taken over by Diamond and operates between Foxyards, Dudley, Cradley Heath and Merry Hill.

Service 288A/C replacing existing Diamond service 288 between Stourbridge, Redlake Rd and Stourbridge Junction

Not NX related but saves me making another post in the April tenders thread:

Banga have registered a 52 (replacing the 22 between Wolves and Coseley) and have won the 53 (Wolverhampton to Rocket Pool) off igo.

Igo operate the 208  8)

[Roy]

Igo operate the 208  8)

Diamond operate it on Sundays.

[Trident 4609]

Igo operate the 208  8)

I know 😁 I realised my error later on. They do operate it on a Sunday though (which is where my concentration probably lapsed when i typed out my message... the Sunday service is supposedly going anyway from April)

[Westy]

"National Express West Midlands Sorry for the delay in reply Chris - We will announce any changes on our website.
11h

National Express West Midlands There is no confirmation of any changes at this time."

Presumably whoever responds to these comments isn't told about the changes until they are publically announced as well.
It doesn't really sound as though they are denying it to me and are just saying they've yet to publically announce anything.

Yes, but someone has given them evidence & it's still denied!

Reminds me of the situation when Walkers Crisps had a sponsorship deal with the Spice Girls of all people 20 odd years ago.

Now there was lots of mentions in the media at the time, but our contact at Walkers Crisps couldn't comment publically on the situation until a certain time.

I knew she knew obviously & she knew I knew she knew etc, but what do you do in this situation?

Block access to the public of certain web sites, so they don't find out about changes until NX etc are ready to comment publically, but would that cause more problems than it solves?

[MasterPlan]

In this day and age of social media, Internet advancements etc things get leaked and go viral quickly. I guess the person in question probably isn't allowed to confirm it but given the evidence provided saying nothing would've been more advisable.

[Dom]

Direct? What is? This extended 46? So we users here have to take a longer way into City? Can't wait to see all the complaints again from angry users...

Oh ok then, take it you don't do the pre 9:30 runs then into City, usually full before they get to Walsall Road, but of course I'm wrong, being a user of the 952 (52 whatever you want to call it) for over the last decade and you've drove it for the last 4 weeks...

It's still one bus, i.e a direct link.

I've done every duty on the 952 M-F and Sun. Meaning I've driven every journey on the 952. You rarely pick up more than 10 people on the estate. It only gets busy on the Walsall Road and then the stop on Birchfield Road.

Evening peaks can be busier, but again, a majority get off at OneStop or along the Walsall Road, with again the handful round the estate.

[Jack]

It's still one bus, i.e a direct link.

I've done every duty on the 952 M-F and Sun. Meaning I've driven every journey on the 952. You rarely pick up more than 10 people on the estate. It only gets busy on the Walsall Road and then the stop on Birchfield Road.

Evening peaks can be busier, but again, a majority get off at OneStop or along the Walsall Road, with again the handful round the estate.

Yes, one bus, which will take double the time the 952 currently takes. I can see most if not all get off on Walsall Road and change onto the 51/X51.

Oh yeah, sorry I forgot you never did the old 52 did you? The 952 helps the 51 out on the Walsall Road anyway, like I already said...

[B.C Driver]

Yes, one bus, which will take double the time the 952 currently takes. I can see most if not all get off on Walsall Road and change onto the 51/X51.

Oh yeah, sorry I forgot you never did the old 52 did you? The 952 helps the 51 out on the Walsall Road anyway, like I already said...

Swings and roundabouts. The 952 most certainly does NOT help out the 51 AND 33 through t e busy sections of the route - Birchfield and Aston up to Barton Arms.

[Jack]

Swings and roundabouts. The 952 most certainly does NOT help out the 51 AND 33 through t e busy sections of the route - Birchfield and Aston up to Barton Arms.

That's why they need a frequency increase!!! Anytime I try and get a 51 in the city it's like torture fighting my way onto a rammed bus.